How to Improve Your Memoir or Personal Essays by Balancing Scene and Exposition (via Zoom) with David McLoghlin

This is an 6-week class designed for writers who are beginning or revising a project, whether memoir, personal essays, a travel book or some other room in the capacious genre known as creative nonfiction. The class begins Wednesday, January 22 and will run for 6 consecutive Wednesdays.

We have an instinctively sense from fiction, film, and memoir that scene are where time slows down, giving us immersive sensory detail, conflict and dialogue, but what about exposition (also known as reflection, “glide,” or summary)? In fact, exposition is just as important as scenes, as it’s where the writer explains, and comments on the scenes. Here is where the writer provides essential, non-immersive information that moves the story forward and links scenes together. Scenes are where we “show,” whereas in exposition, we “tell.” Both are essential. Learning how to identify your principal story points (or scenes) will help you to structure…